Truthful Tuesday

On March 11, 2014, HCFA-SC teamed up with the South Carolina Progressive Network to call attention to the Governor's decision to not extend Medicaid to the 300,000 of our most vulnerable citizens.

It was covered by The State and the Charleston Post-Courier - the articles are below.

12 ticketed in 2nd week of SC Statehouse protests

By Jeffrey Collins, Associated PressThe State, March 11, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Twelve people were written tickets as protesters angry at South Carolina's decision to reject federal money to expand Medicaid blocked an entrance to the Statehouse garage for a second week.

This week, Columbia Police were much more organized for the Truthful Tuesday protesters. Immediately after 11 protesters stepped off the curb and on to the road leading to the garage, an officer told anyone planning to get a ticket to walk over to the steps of a building on the capitol grounds. The demonstration itself lasted less than 15 seconds, while it took nearly an hour to write the tickets for disorderly conduct.

The protesters were given a court date of March 28. They face up to a $100 fine or 30 days in jail.

A 12th person was written a ticket after using a car to block the way into the garage.

Unlike last week protests, no one was handcuffed, put into police cars and driven to the police station.

Nurse David Ball said he was nervous as he stood on the curb waiting to walk into the road. The U.S. Air Force reservist said he had never been arrested before.

"We've been holding signs for a long time," Ball said. "But now it is time for law-abiding citizens to do something more to show they aren't happy."

The South Carolina Progressive Network has organized the Truthful Tuesday protests since the legislative session started in January. The primary purpose is to demonstrate against South Carolina's decision not to accept federal money to expand Medicaid under the nation's new health care law, although the group also wants to see the state spend more on education and other social programs.

Opponents of Medicaid expansion say there are better ways to get health care to poor people than accept federal money that may not always be there.

Progressive Network Director Brett Bursey was one of the people getting ticketed Tuesday. He said the group has not decided whether they will plead not guilty or no contest when their cases go to trial. But he said they plan to use their court date to speak out again.

Protesters again stepped off Statehouse grounds to make their point. A state law passed in the 1960s allows judges to sentence anyone convicted of demonstrating inside the capitol to up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Bursey said the demonstrators aren't ready to challenge that law yet.

Bursey said more arrests are coming too.

"Same time, next week," he said smiling, as he waited to get his ticket.

A group of about two dozen activists gathered outside the Statehouse parking garage - just as they did last week- with signs and placards that said "Shame" and "Expand Medicaid." Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia have chosen to expand Medicaid coverage, a key part of national healthcare expansion under the healthcare law known as Obamacare. South Carolina has declined federal dollars to expand the program for low-income people.

Unlike last week, no protesters were handcuffed or taken to jail. Organizers spoke with Columbia police beforehand, who agreed not to make physical arrests but instead issued disorderly conduct citations.

Still, protesters were not sure how police would react. Protesters briefly blocked Sen. John Courson, R-Richland, a key Senate leader, as he drove into the building. He smiled and leaned across the passenger seat to say hello to protesters. They moved aside to let him pass.

Protesters later stepped off the curb and blocked the Statehouse entrance for less than a minute. They were given a warning and then escorted to nearby steps where they were ticketed. The protest was swift and relatively uneventful. Because penalties are more severe on Statehouse grounds compared with the roadway, protesters have tried to avoid arrest on grounds controlled by state police.

David Ball, 54, from West Ashley, was ticketed. An Air Force reservist and nurse, Ball said in an interview he was "about as law abiding as they come."

But he said the people will die as a result of failing to expand Medicaid coverage. "It doesn't have to be that way," he said.